Firmament Sword

”So you admit you’re an old fossil?” Li Wenxi had thrown all caution to the wind. If she couldn’t completely suppress the Supreme Elder’s faction today, then the Merak Sect... would never know peace!

At that point, forget about Phoenix’s marriage; even she, the Sect Leader, would become a mere figurehead. There would no longer be a place for her and her disciple in the entire Merak Sect!

’Since you dared to plot against my very life, since you’ve become so heartless and treacherous, then don’t blame me, Li Wenxi, for disregarding our shared kinship as sect members!’

As Li Wenxi thought this, a cold light suddenly shot from her eyes. She looked icily at the Supreme Elder and said, ”You... simply do not have the right!”

Li Wenxi’s words were shocking, plunging the hall into a dead silence with a single sentence.

The Supreme Elder’s hands trembled with rage. Her face, with its youthful complexion despite her white hair, was a mask of shock and fury.

”Li Wenxi, how dare you be so insolent?”

”You asked me to speak. I, Wenxi, have been well-versed in the Merak Sect Rules since childhood. I have never heard of any rule stating that a Supreme Elder has the right to interfere in the Saintess’s marriage, much less that a Supreme Elder is a being who can override the Sect Leader. Therefore, what I said is not wrong.”

Li Wenxi had now completely calmed down. She looked coolly at the Supreme Elder and said, ”Whether it’s the Grand Elder or the Supreme Elder, your roles are merely to assist the Sect Leader. Within the sect, the Sect Leader’s command is absolute! Otherwise, if every sect in the world was like you, with subordinates defying their superiors, how could any of them maintain their standing?”

”The Sect Leader’s position is indeed supreme within the sect, but... don’t you forget, my dear, high-and-mighty Sect Leader... that the Elders, when united, can impeach the Sect Leader!” The Supreme Elder’s sinister voice echoed through the hall.

Hearing this, those who were close to the Grand Elder’s faction immediately revealed looks of delight, which were simultaneously tinged with coldness.

”Li Wenxi, I’d like to see what you have to say after you’re impeached and removed from your position as Sect Leader. What other tricks could you possibly play then?” Lu Dazhi sneered at Li Wenxi.

The few Elders loyal to Li Wenxi frowned, their faces bitter. In terms of numbers, the Sect Leader’s faction was at a complete disadvantage.

If the Merak Sect truly initiated the procedure for the Elders to impeach the Sect Leader, then Li Wenxi’s faction, in all likelihood... would be defeated!

Although such an event rarely happened—as it would be a huge blow to a sect—if it truly came to pass, Li Wenxi’s prestige as Sect Leader would suffer a major, irreparable blow.

BANG!

The hall doors were violently thrown open. A tall, straight figure, framed by the sunlight, entered everyone’s view.

His full head of white hair was as dazzling as a thousand rays of sun!

His resolute face was filled with a stern coldness.

SWISH!

A breathtakingly beautiful sword light flared to life in utter silence!

The brilliant sword light was almost bright enough to blind a person!

A single sword strike could frost fourteen provinces!

This was a sword strike that truly belonged to an expert!

The Sword Qi shot straight toward the smug-faced Lu Dazhi.

”How dare you, villain!” the Supreme Elder roared, a powerful and ferocious aura suddenly erupting from her body.

Like a monstrous beast from primordial times, the aura she emitted made people tremble and chilled them to the bone!

The Supreme Elder’s figure shot forward, pouncing toward Qiushuiduan at the door.

An extremely cold glint flashed in Li Wenxi’s eyes. With a cold snort, she too erupted with an aura identical to the Supreme Elder’s.

Her figure flickered, her movements impossibly fast!

She directly blocked the Supreme Elder, and the two... struck out with a palm each in mid-air!

BOOM!

The hall was instantly ravaged as if by a gale force wind. In that one moment, almost all the furnishings... silently turned to dust!

The other Elders all retreated, their faces deathly pale. Those with slightly weaker cultivation were immediately struck by the force, their internal organs churning violently.

A few even had trickles of blood seep from the corners of their mouths on the spot.

”When did you... break through to this realm?” the Supreme Elder stared at Sect Leader Li Wenxi, her face aghast. The terror in her eyes was completely unconcealed.

For so many years, she had lorded over others, calling the shots in the Merak Sect. Her commands were followed by masses like clouds... all of it relied on her transcendent strength!

Whoever has the stronger fist has the final say!

This rule applied to any place where humans gathered!

Be it the secular world or a sect, it was all the same.

Lu Dazhi watched the sudden glint of cold light, his pupils contracting sharply. Then, that glint grew larger and larger in his eyes until, finally... it completely filled his vision!

PFFT!

A bloody mark appeared on the spot between Lu Dazhi’s eyebrows!

His body trembled slightly, and the pupils in his eyes gradually lost focus...

A drop of fresh blood slowly squeezed out from between his brows.

At that moment, Lu Dazhi’s arm had only just begun to rise, and his mouth was slightly agape, having just uttered the word ”You...”

Then, he fell backward, stiff as a board!

Just then, after exchanging a palm strike with the Supreme Elder, Sect Leader Li Wenxi took several steps back. An unnatural flush appeared on her face, and she had retreated a few more steps than the Supreme Elder.

The Supreme Elder hadn’t had an easy time either. Although her power was great and her True Essence was much deeper than Li Wenxi’s, she was already past her prime when her qi and blood were at their peak. Her body had already begun its slow decline.

Thus, the exchange between them had resulted in what was almost a stalemate!

The Supreme Elder didn’t even glance at Lu Dazhi, who had been slain by Qiushuiduan’s sword. She just stared at Li Wenxi in horror and said, ”This is impossible! How could you have broken through to this realm? I don’t believe it! You were clearly...”

”Clearly, I had already been framed by your disciple and used that Spirit Medicine which had a tenth of its spiritual energy drained... causing me to fail my breakthrough and suffer a cultivation deviation. Clearly, I was about to be killed by the potent poison in that Spirit Medicine, living on borrowed time with not long left. Clearly, even if I had managed to recover, I would have been a cripple, utterly incapable of ever reaching this realm...”

Li Wenxi’s suppressed anger of many years erupted all at once. Her gaze was icy as she calmly stared at the Supreme Elder, her thoughts clearer than ever. She looked at the Supreme Elder with a mocking expression. ”Am I... correct?”

”You... You’re talking nonsense! Who drained the spiritual energy from your Spirit Medicine?” The Supreme Elder’s expression was incredibly ugly as she looked at Li Wenxi.

”You know perfectly well who it was,” Li Wenxi said lightly, raising an eyebrow.

”Who else wishes to impeach the Sect Leader?” Qiushuiduan asked from the side, his voice icy.

”Qiushuiduan! How dare you murder a sect Elder without authorization! Such treason is a capital crime! And you still dare to be so arrogant? Do you really think no one in Merak can deal with you? Someone, seize him!” Grand Elder Leng Yu Lian shrieked sharply.

Qiushuiduan stood there quietly. With a flick of his Long Sword, he took a token from his robes and tossed it to Leng Yu Lian, saying coldly, ”I am the Law Enforcement Envoy, appointed by both the previous and current Sect Leaders. I have the authority to execute anyone who dares to defy the Sect Leader or act against the sect’s interests!”

”Nonsense! I’ve never heard of a position like Law Enforcement Envoy in the sect! Even if there were, it should have been Lu Dazhi, who was in charge of punishments—the man you just murdered...” Grand Elder Leng Yu Lian’s voice was shrill and piercing, her expression one of utter fury.

Qiushuiduan remained expressionless, standing with his sword in hand, completely ignoring the shrew-like Leng Yu Lian.

Leng Yu Lian was about to say more, but the Supreme Elder suddenly raised a hand, stopping her. She sighed softly. ”To think, she actually passed the position of Law Enforcement Envoy to you. All these years, you certainly kept me guessing...”

”Master, does our sect really have a Law Enforcement Envoy?” Leng Yu Lian asked in disbelief.

”That’s right. Merak... has had Law Enforcement Envoys since ancient times. They are personally selected by the Sect Leader. Unless a major event occurs in the sect, the Law Enforcement Envoy will not easily reveal their identity.” As the Supreme Elder spoke, she glanced at Li Wenxi.

Then she looked at the incomparably cold Qiushuiduan, gave a cold laugh, and said, ”Sect Leader, what a fine move. I admit defeat. I will return to secluded cultivation and will no longer meddle in the sect’s affairs.”

”Master...” Leng Yu Lian was frantic. Her arrogance and bossiness all these years had relied on her master as her greatest support. Now that the Supreme Elder was disheartened and wanted to withdraw from the sect’s circle of power, she was filled with terror.

”You... should watch yourself.” The Supreme Elder glanced at Leng Yu Lian, then turned and left.

Li Wenxi took a long look at the Supreme Elder’s departing back. She knew very well that the other woman was not truly resigned to this defeat.

The biggest reason the Supreme Elder had conceded so cleanly was that Li Wenxi had broken through to a realm that was enough to make others wary!

And what’s more, she was still young!

But the Supreme Elder was already very old!

If she couldn’t advance to the next level, the Supreme Elder’s lifespan would likely be completely exhausted within a few years. No matter how powerful or glorious she had once been, her curtain would eventually fall.

At that time, let alone Grand Elder Leng Yu Lian, even she, the Supreme Elder, would be at the mercy of others!

It was for this very reason that the Supreme Elder didn’t even have the courage to fight Li Wenxi to the death!

If she had risked it all in a desperate fight, Li Wenxi, who had just entered this realm, would surely be no match for the Supreme Elder!

But the Supreme Elder... didn’t dare to gamble with her life!

”Now, can we... have a proper discussion about the events of this recent period?” Li Wenxi asked, her voice calm and level.

Although a thousand unwilling thoughts churned in Grand Elder Leng Yu Lian’s heart, she knew that if she dared to oppose Li Wenxi again, it was very likely she would not walk out of this room today!

”We will naturally obey the Sect Leader’s command.” As Leng Yu Lian said this, her heart was bleeding.

With Leng Yu Lian taking the lead, the Merak Elders who had originally been on her side all spoke up to express their support for Li Wenxi.

”Autumn Law Enforcement Envoy, please, take a seat as well.” Li Wenxi glanced at Qiushuiduan, a flicker of apology in her eyes.

Qiushuiduan saw it. His heart sank, but a faint smile appeared on his face. He stepped over Lu Dazhi’s corpse and sat right where Lu Dazhi had just been sitting.

”Lu Dazhi incited members of the sect to provoke the Sect Leader, was disrespectful to the Saintess, disrespectful to the Sect Leader, and disrespectful to the Law Enforcement Envoy... He relied on his authority to do as he pleased within the sect, causing great public indignation. Therefore... he was executed by the Law Enforcement Envoy in accordance with the Merak Sect Rules...”

”Grand Elder Leng Yu Lian was arrogant and domineering, showed great disrespect to the Saintess, and was disrespectful to the Sect Leader. She relied on her authority to form cliques within the sect, creating an extremely negative influence. Therefore... Leng Yu Lian is stripped of her position as Grand Elder and demoted to Elder...”

”As for the rest of you, I will not pursue matters for now. But what you have done, you know clearly in your own hearts. And I... know it just as well!” Li Wenxi swept her gaze over everyone present, her voice clear and cold. ”I will be watching your future conduct!”

Her powerful aura suppressed the entire room, making everyone feel as if they couldn’t breathe.

Feeling the awed gazes of the crowd, the face that emerged in Li Wenxi’s mind was that of a handsome young man.

’I wonder if he’s... awake yet? What is he doing right now?’

Li Wenxi’s heartstrings were gently plucked. She lowered her eyelids, a faint trace of melancholy appearing in her exquisitely beautiful eyes.